Composition for and Method of Pumping Concrete

ABSTRACT

A composition for and a method of promoting the flow of a concrete slurry through a conduit is provided. The composition is preferably a liquid polymer mixture including water and polyacrylamide polymers. The composition, when mixed with a suitable quantity of water, is useful, in a method of priming a pump, and in pumping concrete slurry, and improves the flow of the slurry through a conduit.

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/466,243, filedAug. 22, 2006, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S.application Ser. No. 60/710,386, filed Aug. 23, 2005, both of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the movement of concrete broadly, and moreparticularly, to the composition and utilization of a lubricant in aconcrete delivery system to coat the storage environment and deliverylines and to facilitate the movement and delivery of concrete from suchstorage environment. This invention further relates to materials addedto concrete or otherwise employed therewith to adjust the properties orto enhance and/or to facilitate the use thereof.

BACKGROUND

It is known that concrete slurry can be prepared for use in onelocation, which can be remote from the place of its intended use, andthen conveniently transported by known means, such as in a truck, to theplace of its intended use. It is also known that concrete slurry can beprepared while being transported to the intended place of use. A truckordinarily employed to transport concrete slurry is referred to in theart as a ready mix truck.

The movement of concrete sometimes and typically has a critical phase,that of concrete being placed without costly time delays to contractors.Concrete contractors rely on concrete pumpers to make sure the concreteis placed where they have a continuous flow without the above mentionedtime delay. The time delay may have a detrimental effect on the concreteand weaken the concrete and may cause the concrete contractor to have toreplace a previously poured slab or high rise, high way pillar, etc.Contractors use concrete trucks to facilitate the movement of slurriesthrough the use of a pump and a hopper built directly into the truck.

When concrete slurry is delivered to the intended location of use, it isknown that it can be caused to flow by gravity or by pumping into a formwhere, because of its fluid condition, it conforms to the shape of theform. After the concrete slurry is in the form it is permitted to remainundisturbed therein for a period of time sufficient to enable thecementitious material to hydrate to thereby produce the set concrete.

One of the problems involved in the placement of concrete slurryconcerns the potential difficulty of causing the slurry to flow througha conduit. In this regard, it is sometimes necessary, or otherwiseconvenient, to place the slurry in the desired form by pressuring it, bymeans of a pump, through a conduit over a distance to the desired form.However, due to the nature of a concrete slurry, it has sometimes beenfound essential, in order to initiate movement of a slurry to andthrough the pump and conduit, to first fill the pump with a fluid whichis easily pumped and which will lubricate the conduit itself, followedby pumping such fluid ahead of the slurry. This process is referred toas priming. Attempting to pump concrete without using a lubricant orcoating of some kind could result in a very costly delay.

The prior art has addressed the problem of priming a concrete slurrypump by employing methods featuring the use of two differentcompositions, one of which is called a “priming grout mix” and thesecond of which is called a “priming slurry.” The methods of priming aconcrete slurry pump with either a priming grout mix or a primingslurry, as heretofore employed, are similar and suffer a commondisadvantage. The disadvantage originates from the fact that theconcrete slurry being pumped is not compatible and cannot be admixedwith either one of the prior art priming compositions because any suchadmixture adversely affects the strength of the set concrete.Accordingly, when employing either one of the prior art methods, thedelivery end of the conduit cannot be placed in the form until all ofthe priming composition has exited therefrom in order to avoid anyadmixing of slurry and priming composition.

Because the prior art compositions cannot be admixed with the concreteslurry, as explained above, the priming compositions must be directed toand placed in a separate location to enable hydration and subsequentdisposal thereof. Accordingly, a waste disposal and potentialenvironmental hazard inherently accompanies the use of prior art primingcompositions.

Thus one problem to be solved in the prior art is to devise acomposition for and a method of priming a concrete slurry pump whichwill not only permit a slurry to be successfully pumped, but which willalso avoid the waste disposal and environmental problems associated withmethods currently employed.

A priming grout mix usually consists of concrete sand, hydraulic cementand water in the weight ratio of 10 to 2 to 1, respectively. In typicalpractice about one-half cubic yard of priming grout mix is placed in aready mix truck which then transports the mix to the location of theconcrete slurry pump, which is ordinarily a positive displacement pump.The mix is there employed to prime the pump in order to cause a concreteslurry to move through the pump and conduit to the desired form. In theexample just cited, one-half cubic yard of priming grout mix includesabout 1500 pounds of sand, 300 pounds of dry cement and 150 pounds ofwater. In view of the fact that a ready mix truck ordinarily holds atleast about 8 cubic yards of material, it is apparent that a truckemployed to transport a priming grout mix is dramatically under-utilizedin that it is solely used to transport a material which cannot be addedto the concrete slurry.

A priming slurry typically consists of one bag of hydraulic cementdispersed in 6 or 7 gallons of water. As used herein, a bag of cementweighs about 94 pounds. Since a gallon of water weighs about 8.33pounds, the weight ratio of cement to water in a typical priming slurryis an amount in the range of from about 1.6 to about 1.9 pounds ofcement per pound of water. In practice about one-half of the requiredcement and water is thoroughly mixed and added to a hopper, which is indirect fluid communication with the suction side of the concrete pump,thereafter the balance of the cement and water is thoroughly mixed andadded to the hopper prior to the initiation of pumping. Although use ofa priming slurry does not involve an extra ready mix truck, as isrequired in the case of a priming grout mix as described above, it isrequired that extra bags of dry cement be transported to the pumplocation to enable on-site preparation of the priming slurry.

Another prior art method set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,633,incorporate herein by reference, involves a composition comprised of awater soluble, inorganic, alkaline material in combination with asolvatable, organic, polymeric material, when mixed with a quantity ofwater sufficient to dissolve the alkaline material and solvate thepolymeric material. This method has the disadvantage of the dry materialis hard to uncoil and absorbs and takes on water, particularly if thewater is cold. Also the prior art composition includes alkaline materialas added fillers, which may also continue to hydrate and present otherproblems associated with alkalinity. The product is also bulky andexpensive to ship to customer. Customers must mix on site and allow timefor the mixture to be prepared and soluble. Similarly, in WO2005/073556, an eight ounce bag of dry composition is used, which thenhas to be placed in a five gallon container of water, and stirred forseveral minutes (or longer) so the product can uncoil, which sometimesnever uncoils. A further problem with dry compositions is that it isvery difficult to remove from one's hands, particularly if one's handsare wet.

Thus, the prior art solutions all suffer from the same basic problem,i.e., they start with a solid composition. As noted above, solidcompositions tend to be relatively heavy, and usually require mixing fora period of time on site. Solid compositions also tend to continuehydrating. In addition, some of the particulate material used in thesolid compositions tends to travel to undesirable locations eitherwithin the concrete machinery or onto the people operating the concretepumping equipment.

On the contrary, the priming agent of the present invention does notstart with a solid particulate-based composition, but instead startswith a liquid composition that overcomes the above-mentioned prior artproblems associated with solid compositions. The present inventor hasfound that the liquid composition of the present invention is fast andeffective on immediate contact with water, wets out on contact and canbe sold in concentrate form, which reduces packaging weight, size andshipping costs to the customers. A liquid product also decreases wear onequipment, promotes ease and range of pumpability, is easily primed intothe hopper and pumping equipment, creates a slick lubricant that reducespressure and friction on lines and concrete pumping tubes, enhancesslipperiness and thickness and viscosity of the pumping aids, coats pumpwall lines for longer periods of pump time without continued hydration,and delivers lubrication and coating every time with a liquid emulsion.With the use of a liquid composition, there are also no hydrationproblems commonly associated with primers that start with solidcompositions. It is therefore an object of the present invention toimprove on the prior art through the use of a liquid polymeric emulsionas a primer aid or lubricant coating for a concrete pump system anddelivery conduit.

SUMMARY

A composition of one embodiment of the invention comprises watersoluble, non alkaline material in combination with a solvatablepolymeric material, which when mixed with a sufficient quantity ofwater, is broadly useful to function as a priming aid and lubricant fora concrete slurry storage and delivery environment. More specifically,the composition is a liquid polymer mixture preferably including waterand polyacrylamide polymers.

Also provided is a method of priming a concrete pump system comprisingthe steps of providing a liquid polymer material, mixing the liquidpolymer material with water to form a lubricating aid, and pumping thelubricating aid through the concrete pump system. Also provided is amethod of pumping a flowable concrete slurry comprising the steps ofproviding a concrete slurry, providing a fluid composition comprised ofwater and a polymeric material, pumping said fluid composition through aconduit wherein said conduit is lubricated by said fluid compositionpassing therethrough, and pumping said concrete slurry through saidconduit wherein at least a portion of said slurry is in contact with atleast a portion of said fluid composition, and whereby said pumped fluidcomposition operates to lubricate said conduit and to impede water lossfrom and solids separation within said concrete slurry, and dispensingsaid fluid composition and said concrete slurry to an outside form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of theinvention presently contemplated. Such description is not intended to beunderstood in a limiting sense, but to be an example of the inventionpresented solely for illustration thereof.

For purposes of this disclosure, the fluid condition of concrete, whichis referred to in the art as “plastic concrete,” featuring thedispersion of solids in water, is referred to herein as concrete slurry,and the monolithic solid condition of concrete is referred to herein asset concrete. The dispersed solids are usually comprised of hydrauliccement and aggregate wherein the aggregate ordinarily, but not always,consists of graded coarse aggregate, i.e. rock, mixed with graded fineaggregate, i.e. sand. Also disclosed herein is a method of using acomposition to improve the viscosity of flowable concrete slurry througha conduit.

The term “hydraulic cement,” as used herein, means all inorganiccementitious materials of known type which comprise compounds ofcalcium, aluminum, silicon, oxygen, and/or sulfur which exhibit“hydraulic activity,” that is, which set solid and harden in thepresence of water. Cements of this type include common Portland cements,fast setting or extra fast setting, sulfate resistant cements, modifiedcements, alumina cements, high alumina cements, calcium aluminatecements and cements which contain secondary components such as fly ash,pozzolana and the like. Portland cements are classified by the AmericanSociety of Testing Materials (ASTM) into five major types identified byRoman Numerals I, II, III, IV and V and by the American PetroleumInstitute into at least 9 categories identified by the letters A, B, C,D, E, F. G, H and J. The classifications are based on chemicalcomposition and physical properties. The term “hydraulic cement,” asused herein, also includes a material identified as slag and mixturesthereof with Portland cement. “Slag,” as used herein, means agranulated, non-crystalline, glassy material having a particle size inthe range of from about 1 to about 100 microns which exhibits hydraulicactivity. Slag is a blast furnace by-product formed in the production ofcast iron and is broadly comprised of the oxidized impurities found iniron ore.

The hydraulic cement useful herein can also include small particle sizecement which consists of discrete particles of hydraulic cement havingdiameters no larger than about 30 microns. Small particle size cement ismore fully discussed in Ewert, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,795, which isincorporate herein by reference. The quantity of water employed in theformulation of concrete slurry useful herein is dependent upon theparticle size of the cement employed. Thus, the quantity of wateremployed is an amount in the range of from about 0.25 to about 5.0pounds of water per pound of dry hydraulic cement. For cements having aparticle size of less than about 45 microns the preferred water tocement ratio is in the range of from about 1.0 to about 2.0 pounds ofwater per pound of cement. For cements which have a particle sizegreater than about 45 microns the preferred water to cement ratio is inthe range of from about 0.3 to about 0.6 pounds of water per pound ofdry cement. The quantity of aggregate employed in the formulation ofconcrete slurry useful herein is an amount in the range of from about 3to about 15 pounds of aggregate per pound of dry cement. The aggregatemay be entirely coarse aggregate or entirely fine aggregate or any blendthereof.

In the broadest sense, the composition of an embodiment of the inventioncomprises a liquid water soluble, solvatable polymeric material which,when mixed with a certain quantity of water, is broadly useful toimprove the fluid characteristics of a concrete slurry. The liquidmaterial is preferably a polymer, copolymer, and polyacrylamideemulsion. It provides a simple mixture of water, has a neutral pH, andreduces wait time compared with increased wait time with dry products,particularly when they don't uncoil. A non-limiting list of examples ofpreferred polymeric materials include Cytek's 1883 RS product and Ciba's110 L product.

The composition, when mixed with a sufficient quantity of water asmentioned above, forms a fluid, referred to herein as a liquidpolyacrylamide solution having a pH preferably in the range of fromabout 6 to 9, and having a concentration preferably in the range of fromabout 0.5 ounces to about 2.0 ounces, and more preferably from 1 ounceto about 2.75 ounces of polyacrylamide solution. This composition issometimes referred to herein as a priming lubricant for conduit, whenemployed in a method of pressuring concrete slurry through a conduit.For convenience, the composition, especially in the form of apolyacrylamide solution, is broadly referred to herein by its perceivedfunction as a lubricant. The composition also functions to help reducethe loss of water from the concrete slurry. The composition can be usedas a lubricating aid, and its use is biodegradable.

The quantity of the composition of this invention required for use is sosmall, that use of separate ready mix trucks devoted solely to thetransportation of a priming composition is not required. In this regardwhen the composition is used as a priming lubricant, only about twoounces of composition per five gallons of water i.e. about 41.65 poundsof water per two ounces of additive, is sufficient to prime a conduitline used to pressure a concrete slurry through about 100 feet to 300feet of a five inch diameter conduit. When the composition is used as acoating lubricant, about 2 ounces of polyacrylamide emulsion isrequired, when mixed with forty to eighty pounds of water to lubricatethe conduit normally employed in the art of concrete lubricant priming.An example of the concentration of said polyacrylamide material withwater is a range of from two to four ounces of polyacrylamide emulsionto 100 parts of water.

The term “solvatable, polymeric material,” as used herein, means andincludes a wide variety of natural, modified natural, and synthetichydrophilic polymers which either dissolve in water or which at leastform colloidal dispersions in the presence of water wherein the effectof such salvation is to produce an increase in the viscosity of thewater. Such materials are generally characterized as having highmolecular weight and are sometimes referred to in the art as “aqueousgelling agents” and sometimes as “aqueous viscosifiers.”

The polymeric materials, as defined above, have molecular weights in therange of from about 60,000 to about 4,000,000 and higher and includepolysaccharides, examples of which include galactomannan gums andglucomannan gums, which are naturally occurring; cellulose derivatives,which is cellulose modified by reaction with hydrophilic constituents:galactomannan and glucomannan gums which have been modified by reactionwith hydrophilic constituents; and synthetic hydrophilic polymers.Examples of hydrophilic constituents include hydroxyalkyl groups,carboxyalkyl groups and mixed hydroxyalkyl and carboxyalkyl groups toform ether derivatives. Other constituent groups which lend hydrophilicproperties to polymers include cis-hydroxyl, hydroxyl, carboxyl,sulfate, sulfonate, amino and amide groups. Guar gum, locust bean gum,karaya gum, carboxymethyiguar, hydroxyethylguar, hydroxypropylguar,carboxymethylhydroxyethylguar, carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar,carboxymethylcellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethylceilulose,hydroxyethylcellulose, starches, alginates and carrageenans are examplesof natural and modified polymeric materials useful herein. Examples ofsynthetic hydrophilic polymers and copolymers useful in the compositionof this invention include polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide,polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyacrylamide, polymethacrylamide andcopolymers thereof, maleic anhydride/methylvinyl ether copolymers,polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylacetate, copolymers ofacrylamide and 2-acrylamido, 2-methylpropane sulfonic acid andcopolymers of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and 2-acrylamido, 2-methylpropanesulfonic acid.

The solvatable, polymeric material useful herein can be either a singlepolymer or copolymer or a mixture of polymers and copolymers. Apreferred such mixture features the presence of a modified naturalpolymer as mentioned above and a synthetic hydrophilic polymer asmentioned above wherein the weight ratio of synthetic polymer tomodified natural polymer is an amount in the range of from about 1 to 1to about 2 to 1. Modified natural polymers preferred for use herein arecellulose ethers, such as carboxymethylcellulose andhydroxyethylcellulose and particularly those having a molecular weightof less than about 100,000. Synthetic hydrophilic polymers preferred foruse herein are poly(ethylene oxide) resins having a molecular weight ofabout 4,000,000. Examples of such resins are sold under the trademarkPOLYOX by Union Carbide Corporation. Since polyethylene oxide, when inwater solution, is referred to as polyethylene ether glycol or, moresimply, as poly(ethylene glycol), such compounds are within the scope ofthis invention.

Also the polyacrylamide polymeric material can be selected from thegroup consisting of galactomannan gums, glucomannan gums, cellulosederivatives, synthetic hydrophilic polymers, galactomannan andglucomannan gums which have been modified by reaction with hydrophilicconstituents, and mixtures thereof.

The composition discussed herein is mixed with a quantity of water in avessel that is in fluid communication with the suction side of theconcrete pump and then pressured by the pump from the vessel into andthrough a conduit outside of the form. The vessel is referred to in theart as a hopper. While the mixture is being pressured into the conduitfrom the hopper, and at least before all of the mixture is pumped fromthe hopper, the concrete slurry to be pumped is added to the hopper suchthat a final portion of the mixture is in contact with the initialportion of the concrete slurry whereby the mixture precedes the slurrythrough the pump and conduit outside the form.

The quantity of composition to be utilized as a priming aid ispreferably expressed in ounces as an example. Accordingly, two ounces ofa composition can be placed in a bottle, a specified number of suchbottles are then added to a specified number of gallons of water, andthen mixed. An advantage over the prior art being that there is aminimum or no time for a set period of time to yield viscosity requiredto lubricate or prime the storage and delivery system. While a two ouncebottle or dispenser is disclosed, other sizes may be used as desired.The present inventor has found that two ounce bottles are optimized forshipment and for adding to standard concrete dispensing mechanisms, andsuch bottles can be vended in a kit for a job site with instructions foruse.

In one preferred embodiment, a two ounce bottle of a preferredcomposition of this invention is mixed directly in the hopper with fivegallons of water to produce a priming lubricant which will treat about100 feet to 300 feet of a five inch diameter conduit. This fluid can beeasily prepared for use at the location of the concrete pump by merelymixing two ounces of composition and water directly in the hopper forabout one minute. This provides the advantage that a separate containeris not required to prepare the priming aid. The mixture flows throughthe pump and conduit ahead of the concrete slurry while forming a thinfilm on the functioning parts of the pump and on the interior walls ofthe conduit to thereby lubricate the pump and the interior walls of theconduit so as to ease the movement of the slurry therethrough.

Thus, there is provided a method of pressuring a concrete slurry througha conduit, the method being comprised of the steps of introducing afluid composition into a chamber, placing the chamber in fluidcommunication with the inlet end of the conduit, applying pressure tothe fluid composition in the chamber in an amount sufficient to causethe fluid composition to flow from the chamber into and through theconduit to the outlet thereof, and thereafter, while continuallyapplying the pressure, introducing the concrete slurry into the chambersuch that the final portion of the fluid composition is contacted by theinitial portion of the slurry, whereby the concrete slurry is pressuredinto and through the conduit to the outlet.

When the composition is used as a pumping and coating lube it is addeddirectly to the hopper and mixed therewith with water to obtain auniform dispersion of the composition. As a pumping and coatinglubricant the composition functions as a lubricant for a concreteconduit, which improves or at least enhances or improves the ability tomake the concrete more flowable. Thus, there is provided an improvedmethod of formulating concrete slurry comprising the steps of mixing thecomposition including a polymeric, polyacrylamide and/or copolymermaterial in the amount in the range of from about two to four ounces ofcomposition per twenty thousand pounds of slurry (i.e. multipletruckloads). It should be apparent from the above that the compositionof this invention can be employed in any given placement operation asboth a pumping lubricant and a priming lubricant. The most preferredcomposition is conveniently, and thus preferably, employed, inaccordance with the disclosed priming and pumping methods, in two ouncequantities, prepackaged, as described above, although other quantitiescan be used as desired.

EXAMPLES

The following examples attached are provided to illustrate the practiceof the invention as well as certain preferred embodiments thereof. Theexamples should not be construed as limiting in any way the spirit orscope of the invention and are not provided as such a limitation.

Various polymers from different companies were combined in smallquantities (approximately two ounces) with water in a hopper to testwhether the resulting composition would function to prime and lubricatea concrete pump and delivery system under normal site conditions.Properties observed included whether the composition would become slickwithin a one to three minute range (i.e. “Gel Time”), its dispersion andsolubility, whether it would lower friction in concrete slurry inpumping conduit via a slide test, and would reduce water retention.

The tests were performed by giving two ounce samples of polymericmaterial to different concrete pumpers for use at the job site. One tothree gallons of water was first added to a hopper of a concrete truck,followed by the addition of the sample polymeric material directly intothe hopper, followed by the filling of the hopper with two to three moregallons of water, at which point the hopper is ready to use. Most of theconcrete pumpers were excited about not having to mix a priming productoutside of the hopper and then stir and wait until the product uncoils,which could take several minutes to overnight. All pumpers saw thebenefit of not having to work with a dry composition that must bedelivered to the job site and its particulate material managed duringuse.

Various test procedures were followed according to ASTMC 143-05, 231-04,138-01, 39-04 and 78-02. Mixture proportions and test concreteproperties were as follows: Material Control Test Cement Factor(lbs/cubic yd) 564 564 Water (lbs/cubic yd) 298.4 298.4 Water-cementratio 0.529 0.529 Coarse Aggregate (lbs/cubic yd) 1750 1750 FineAggregate (lbs/cubic yd) 1204 1204 Air Entraining Agent (oz/cwt) 0.450.45 Slump (in.) 7 7 Air Content (%) 5.0 5.7 Density (lb/ft) 139.8 139.4

The following results were obtained: Product Water Tested Gel Time SlideTest Retention Dispersion Solubility A Good Fair Good Excellent Good BExcellent Good Poor Excellent Excellent C Excellent Excellent GoodExcellent Excellent D Good Excellent Fair Good Fair E Fair Fair FairPoor Good F Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent G Fair GoodPoor Fair Fair H Excellent Good Poor Excellent Good I Good ExcellentFair Excellent Good J Good Excellent Poor Good Fair

All products worked well, even though some exhibited better propertiesthan others, and the properties of the hardened concrete were notcompromised. The test results of the hardened concrete are as follows:Testing Performed Control Test Compressive Strength (psi)  3 days 25702560 14 days 3290 3260 28 days 4530 4680 Flexural Strength (psi) 28 days595 620

While the present invention has been described at some length and withsome particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, itis not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars orembodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed withreferences to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possibleinterpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore,to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention.Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms ofembodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling descriptionwas available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of theinvention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalentsthereto.

1. A method of priming a concrete pump system comprising the steps of:a) providing a liquid polymer material; b) mixing the liquid polymermaterial with water to form a lubricating aid; and c) pumping thelubricating aid through the concrete pump system.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the mixing occurs in a hopper of a concrete truck.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the liquid polymer material further comprisesa polymeric material selected from a group of cellulose derivatives,synthetic hydrophilic polymers and mixtures thereof.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the liquid polymer material includes a polymericemulsion selected from a group consisting of polyacrylamide, copolymersof polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the lubricating aid further comprises a mixture of a range oftwo to four ounces of liquid polymer material with three to five gallonsof water.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mixing occurs in ahopper of a concrete truck.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thelubricating aid has a pH range of six to nine.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the liquid polymer material has a concentration in the range offrom about 0.5 ounces to about 2.0 ounces of a polyacrylamide solution.9. The method of claim 1, wherein the concrete pump system furthercomprises a range of one hundred to three hundred feet of conduit thatis primed with approximately two ounces of liquid polymer material. 10.The method of claim 1, wherein the lubricating aid is biodegradable. 11.A method of pumping a flowable concrete slurry comprising the steps of:a) providing a concrete slurry; b) providing a fluid compositioncomprised of water and a liquid polymeric material; c) pumping saidfluid composition through a conduit wherein said conduit is lubricatedby said fluid composition passing therethrough; and d) pumping saidconcrete slurry through said conduit wherein at least a portion of saidslurry is in contact with at least a portion of said fluid composition,said pumped fluid composition operating to lubricate said conduit and toimpede water loss from and solids separation within said concreteslurry; and e) dispensing said fluid composition and said concreteslurry to an outside form.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein thepolymeric material is selected from a group consisting ofpolyacrylamide, copolymers of polyacrylamide and mixtures thereof. 13.The method of claim 11, wherein the polymeric material is selected froma group consisting of cellulose derivatives, synthetic hydrophilicpolymers and mixtures thereof.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein thefluid composition further comprises a range of two to four ounces ofpolymeric material with three to five gallons of water.
 15. The methodof claim 11, wherein the fluid composition has a pH range of six tonine.
 16. A priming and lubricating composition for a concrete pumpcomprising a water-soluble, liquid polymeric material that, when mixedwith a quantity of water sufficient to solvate the liquid polymericmaterial, forms a substantially neutral solution that is useful tolubricate a concrete pump and delivery conduit and improve the fluidcharacteristics of a concrete slurry delivered through the concretepump.
 17. The composition of claim 16, wherein the polymeric material isselected from a group consisting of polyacrylamide, copolymers ofpolyacrylamide and mixtures thereof.
 18. The composition of claim 16,wherein the solution is created by mixing approximately two to fourounces of polymeric material with three to five gallons of water. 19.The composition of claim 16, wherein the composition is vended in two tofour ounce containers for delivery to a job site at which the concretepump is located.
 20. The composition of claim 16, wherein saidsubstantially neutral solution has a pH range between six and nine.